Inner tube-type recreation vehicle

ABSTRACT

An inner tube-type recreation vehicle is described having a torus inflatable tube with a seat secure at a desired elevation in the central opening of the tube. The seat is secured to the tube by a plurality of strap assemblies at angularly spaced locations about the tube.

United States Patent 1191 Patrick et al.

[ INNER TUBE-TYPE RECREATION VEHICLE [76] Inventors: Archibald S.Patrick, PO. Box 506, Ellensburg, Wash. 98926; Robert G. Johnson, 22109Park Rd., Edmonds, Wash. 98020 22 Filed: Ail 23, 1971 211 App1.No.:114,012

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.133,169, April 12,

1971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 9/347 [51] Int. Cl. 1363c 9/04 [58] Field of Search297/DIG. 3, 452;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,021,536 2/1962 l-laggerty9/11 A 1451 July 31, 1973 Grant et a1 9/347 X 2,958,876 11/1960 Garrett9/347 2,804,123 8/1957 Kling 9/7 X 1,838,086 12/1931 Famstrom 9/347 XFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 322,299 12/1929 Great Britain 9/11 APrimary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Paul E. SaubererAttorney-Wells, St. John & Roberts [5 7 ABSTRACT An inner tube-typerecreation vehicle is described having a torus inflatable tube with aseat secure at a desired elevation in the central opening of the tube.The seat is secured to the tube by a plurality of strap assemblies atangularly spaced locations about the tube.

6 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures INNER TUBE-TYPE RECREATION VEHICLE Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 133,169,filed Apr. 12, 1971, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OFTI-IE INVENTION This invention relates to recreationvehicles and more particularly to inner tube-type recreation vehiclesthat are principally adapted for floating on moving bodies of water suchas rivers and down snow covered slopes.

Tire inner tubes have long been utilized as recreation vehicles tosupport persons as they float down rivers or slide down snow coveredslopes. Normally, the rider sits on the tube with his buttocks in thecenter of the tube and his limbs extending over the sides of the tube.Many serious accidents have been caused when the riders buttocks orlimbs strike rocks and the like immediately below the water surface.Frequently, such accidents cause serious injury requiring substantialhospitalization and recuperation. Similar accidents have occurredwhenthe inner tube is utilized for sliding down snow covered slopes. It isnot infrequent that the rider has a limb that becomes caught between thesnow surfaces and the tube. On some snow slopes, inner tubes areprohibited because of this danger.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide arecreation vehicle of the inner tube-type that is particularly adaptablefor carrying an individual down a river or through rapids or down snowcovered slopes in a safe manner.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a recreationvehicle having a seat that is supportable above the bottom of the tubeto protect the individual from becoming injured on rocks or otherobstacles over which the tube is carried.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a recreationvehicle that is very economical to construct and durable in use. I

An additional object of this invention is to provide a recreationvehicle that is extremely compact and can be readily conveyed to thearea of use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a recreation vehicle ofthe inner tube-type having a seat that may be vertically adjustable asdesired.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a low costrecreation vehicle enabling persons of all ages to enjoy the outdoorsand to reach otherwise unattainable scenic locations which would be tooexpensive to reach by other vehicles.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an innertube-type recreation vehicle that may be easily assembled by persons ofall ages.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent upon the reading of the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred and several alternateembodiments of this invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inner tube-type recreation vehicleembodying the principal features of the invention including a seatsecured to the inner tube by a plurality of strap assemblies;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the recreation vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a component of the strap assembly;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the component illustrated in FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view taken through thestrap assembly showing the seat being secured to the inner tube;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7except showing the seat secured to the inner tube;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view similar to FIGS.7 and 8 except showing alternate vertically adjustable positions of theseat with respect to the inner tube in which a lower position is shownin solid line and two vertically spaced upper positions are illustratedin dotted line;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along a diameter of thetube illustrating strap assemblies being applied with varying snugnessto deform the tube to a desired configuration;

FIG. I] is a vertical cross-sectional view of a section of a strapassembly illustrating an alternate embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view similar to FIGS.8 and 11 except showing a second alternate embodiment; 1

FIG. 13 is a perspective front view of a component of the strap assemblyillustrating the second embodiment; I

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of an inner tubeillustrating an alternate embodiment of the strap assemblies forsecuring a seat to the inner tube; v

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 14 exceptshowing the seat secured to the inner tube; and

FIGS. 16-19 are fragmentary vertical cross-sectional views taken alongline l6-16 in FIG. 14 showing in sequence the mounting of the seat tothe inner tube by the strap assemblies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detailto the drawings, there is shown in FIG. I a recreation vehicle generallydesignated by the numeral 10 for supporing a rider on bodies of waterand particularly for floating down rapidly moving bodies of water suchas rivers. The recreation vehicle can also be utilized for sliding downsnow covered slopes. Although not limited to any particular age group itis principally enjoyed by younger members of our society.

The recreation vehicle 10 is of an inner tube-type having as one of itscomponents an inflatable torusshaped tube 12. Such tubes 12 are similarto inner tubes utilized in automobile tires. The tubes 12 are generallymade of a rubber composition having a central opening 13 therethroughand can be provided in a variety of colors. The tube 12 has an innerdiameter defined by the central open aperture 13 and an outercircumferential diameter defined by major dimension of the tube.Generally, the tubes are constructed in a variety of sizes dependingupon the dictates of the particular need of the wheeled vehicle. Themost common sizes of inner tubes have an inner diameter that variesbetween 20 and 22 inches.

The torus-shaped tube 12 has a section diameter which is frequentlyreferred to as the thickness of the inflated tube. The tube 12 is showninflated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The tube 12, when inflated, will generallyassume a uniform cross-section with a relatively small amount ofpositive pressure on the interior thereof. For purposes of illustrationonly, the condition of the tube when it initially assumes asubstantially uniform crosssection will be referred to as softinflation. With additional interior air pressure the tube expandsslightly making the tube more rigid although still resilient. The morerigid condition of the tube will be referred to as hard inflation. Thetube 12 has an exterior peripheral torus surface 14 that will be dividedfor purpose of illustration into a bottom surface 15 along the lower arcof the tube, a top surface 16 along the upper arc of the tube, an innersurface 17 on the inside of the tube defined by the central opening 13and an outer-surface 18 (FIG. The bottom surface is submerged below thewater surface when the vehicle is afloat and engages the snow surfacewhen the vehicle is utilized for sliding down snow covered slopes.

The recreation vehicle 10 has a seat 20 that is discshaped for beingpositioned in the central opening 13 so that there is very little spacebetween the periphery 21 of the seat and the inner surface 17. The seat20 is designed of a rather semi-rigid material that will support a humanbeing when the seat is supported to the tube along the periphery 21. Theseat 20 does not have any holes or voids of sufficient size to enablethe person riding the vehicle to extend any of his limbs downwardthrough the central opening 13. This prevents the rider from having anyof his limbs caught between the vehicle 10 and the surface on which thevehicle is supported. Furthermore, when the recreation vehicle isutilized for floating down river rapids it protects the riders buttocksfrom rocks and other obstacles that may be just immediately below thesurface of the water. The seat 20 is preferably made of a semi-rigidplastic. The seat 20 has a top surface 22 that is rather smooth and abottom surface 23. The top surface 22 is slightly concave in shape toallow water and melted snow to flow from the periphery to the center.The bottom surface 23 has radial ribs 24 formed thereon that extendoutward in a radial direction to add additional strength and rigidity tothe seat. The seat 20 has a peripheral rib or rim 26 extending aroundthe periphery 21 of the seat. Elongated holes or slots 27 are formedthrough the seat 20 from the top surface to the bottom surface at evenlyangularly spaced locations adjacent the peripheral rim 26. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, eight slots 27 are formed at 45intervals about the periphcry.'Ribs 28 are formed around the slots 27 tostrengthen the seat atsuch locations to prevent cracks from developingfrom any stress concentrations caused by the slots 27. The peripheralrim 26 has an annular groove 30 formed on the underside thereof as shownin FIG. 4. Drain holes 32 are formed in the seat near the centralportion thereof to enable water or melted snow to pass therethrough. Theholes 32 are not large enough for one to extend a limb therethrough. Aspreviously mentioned, the seat 20 is designed to support at least aportion of a rider in the central opening 13.

The recreation vehicle 10 further includes a plurality of strapassemblies 34 that interconnect and secure the seat to the inner tube12. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four strap assemblies 34are utilized. The strap assemblies 34 are an extremely important featureof this invention and are provided to enable the seat 20 to bevertically adjusted at desired elevations and held firmly at thoseelevations in relationship to the inner tube 12. Each of the strapassemblies 34 includes a flexible strap or belt 35 made of a fabricmaterial having a length sufficient to evolve or loop around a torussection of the tube as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1-13 each of the straps 34 have an enlarged one end37 and an opposite other end 38. The enlarged end 37 may be formed byfolding the strap back upon itself to build up several layers. End 37 isshown with three layers. Each of the strap assemblies 34 furtherincludes means for interconnecting and interlocking the ends 37 and 38and to snugly secure the seat to the inner tube. The means 40 isdesigned to hold the seat 20 to the inner tube 12 to maintain and securethe seat to the tube 12 at a desired elevation. The means 40 also isdesigned to support the seat along the periphery 21. The means 40illustrated in FIGS. 5-10, has a body 41 with a curved back wall 42 andadjacent side walls 43 and 44 respectively. The side walls 43 and 44have curved back side edges 45 and 46 respectively that engage the innersurface 17 of the tube when the strap assemblies are mounted snugly onthe tube. This is particularly shown in FIG. 8. The body 41 has a frontwall 45. The body 41 has a lower end 50 and an upper end 51. A slot orelongated hole 52 is formed through the body, in particularly the backwall 42, adjacent the lower end 50. The slot 52 is of sufficientdimension to enable the belt or strap to be inserted therethrough.

The body 41 further has a cavity, slot, or hole 54 extendingtherethrough for receiving the ends 37 and 38 therein. The cavity has anenlarged frontal opening 55 and tapered front and back walls 56 and 57respectively that taper down from the front opening 55 to a rear openingadjacent a throat 58 defining the minimal dimension between the frontwall 56 and the back wall 57. The cavity 54 is of sufficient size toenable the ends 37, 38 of the strap to be extended therethrough. Thetapered walls 56 and 57 extend in one direction from the frontal opening55 to the rear opening 60. A throat 58 is designed to prevent the ends37and 38 from being separately pulled from the cavity 54 when the ends arefrictionally interlocked. The interlocking is accomplished by providingthe throat 58 with an opening dimension sufficient to enable theenlarged end 37 to be inserted into the cavity 54 through the throat 58in an opposite direction to the tapered walls 56 and 57 and to enablethe other end 38 to be extended through the cavity 54 in the samedirection as the tapered walls 56 and 57 but insufficient to enable bothends from passing therethrough when the ends are overlapped. The taperedwall 56 and 57 provides a wedge clamping means for clamping the ends 37and 38 together in frictional contact to secure the strap 35 firmly to atorus section of the tube.

FIG. 7 illustrates the mounting of the seat 20 to tube 12. Initially,the tube 12 is inflated to the "soft inflation condition. Each strap isthen looped about a torus section of the tube with the enlarged end 37of the strap inserted into the cavity 54 in the opposite direction tothe taper as shown in FIG. 7. The other end 38 is initially insertedthrough the slot 52 from the back to the front of the unit 45. The end38 is then inserted upward through'one of the slots 27 in the seat-20.The end 38 is then doubled back and inserted through the cavity 54 inthe same direction as the taper to form a loop 61 about the section ofthe peripheral rib 26 and to overlap the end 37. The end 38 is thencinched through the cavity 54 to pull the looped strap snugly againstthe torus section with the edges 45 and 46 bearing against the surface17. As the end 38 is pulled, the overlapped ends 37 and 38 are forcedtoward the throat 58 causing the ends to be forced together in a firmfrictional contact to interlock the ends together. After the strap 35has been firmly cinched with the strap firmly engaging the peripheralsurface 14, additional air pressure is applied to the inner tube 12 toexpand the tube slightly and form bulges adjacent the straps as shown inFIGS.

1 and 2. This provides a radial outward pressure on the straps toprevent the straps from sliding on the periphery surface 14 and tosecure the seat to the tube at the desired elevation. The location ofthe interconnecting means 40 may be adjusted as shown in FIG. 9 toadjustably position the seat at various elevations with respect to thetube. Once the desired elevation is obtained, the tube is inflated fromthe soft inflation to the In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 11,the front wall 45 has a lip 66 that extends outward and upward from theunit 40 to reside in the angular groove to engagingly support the seatalong its periphery. In this configuration the holding loop 61 isutilized to maintain this engagement and secure the peripheral seatsection adjacent the slot 27 firmly to the unit 40. The slot 67 isformed in the front wall 45 to enable the end 38 to be inserted throughthe cavity 54.

A second alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 in whichthe unit 40 is modified to provide projections or hooks 70 and 71 formedin the body hard inflation to firmly secure the seat to the tube. The

uniform outward radial pressure of the tube on the straps creates auniform tension on the ends 37 and 38 to maintain the frictional contactand interlock in the cavity 54. The additional weight of the human bodyon the seat 20 does not change the uniform tension on the ends 37 and 38but merely causes the tube to slightly torsionally deform to adjust tovarying loads.

In the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, strap assemblies arelocated at 90 spacings around the tube with the straps 35 being extendedthrough every other hole or slot 27.

As shown in FIG. 10, each of the straps 35 may be cinched about itstorus section with varying degrees of pressure to deform the tube todesired configurations. Consequently, the user of the recreation vehiclecan deform the tube to add to his comfort. In some configurations, itmay be desirable to mount the straps at relatively close angular torussections to decrease the effective diameter of the tube at such sectionswhile increasing the effective diameter at other angular torus sections,forming a bulge. Sometimes, it may be desirable to deform the tube atselected angular torus sections to enable the rider to extend his legsfurther into the water and to bulge an opposite torus section to form aback rest to provide more of a chair-like configuration. On very hotdays, it may be desirable to decrease the diameter of the tube sectionat various angular locations to allow water to flow over the tube at thereduced diameters to cool the rider.

It may be desirable to construct the unit 40 with an upper edge 63(FIGS. 5 and 6) having teeth thereon to assist in the cinching of thestrap to the tube. A slot 64 is shown formed through the front wall 45adjacent the top edge 63 to enable a tool to be inserted through theslot engaging the end 38 to push the overlapped ends 37 and 38 downwardfurther into the cavity to release the interlock. The slot 54 shown isdesigned to enable a screwdriver to be inserted into the slot toaccomplish this task if need be.

41 and particularly on the curved side walls 43 and 44 that extendoutward providing a receiving ledge 72 to engage the peripheral rib 26to support the seat thereon. The loop 61 secures the peripheral rib 26in engagement with the projections and 71. Both the configurations shownin FIG. 11 and FIGS. 12 and 13 provide projection or ledge means forreceiving the periphery of the seat to assist in supporting the seat atthe desired elevation. In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7the seat is principally supported by the loop 61. The unit 40 alsofirmly secures the seat to a desired longitudinal section of the strapdefined by the loop 61. The unit 40 acts as a double eyelet with thestrap 38 extending outward and through the slots 27 and back through theunit 40 to prevent the seat from sliding up and down on the strap.

Additional features of this invention include a grommet (FIG. 1) formedin the strap 35a for receiving one end of a mooring-safety rope 76. Therope 76 can be connected to the clothing or body of the rider so thatshould the rider fall from the vehicle he will be sufficiently securedto the vehicle to pull on the rope and hold on to the vehicle to provideadditional buoyancy and prevent drowning. An additional feature includesa grommet 80 formed in strap 35b with an auxiliary rope 81 attachedthereto and extending therefrom. An auxiliary bag 82 is attached to theother end of the rope 81 for placement in the water to receive beverageitems, fish or the like to keep the contents cool. On occasion it may bedesirable to utilize the auxiliary bag 82 for a trashreceptacle to keepfrom littering the landscape.

An additional feature includes a pole attachment 83 (FIG. 1) forsecuring to the strap 35c. The pole attachment 83 includes a curve plate84 that is curved similar to the outer surface 18. The plate 84 has anupper elongated slot 85 and a lower elongated slot 86 to provide adouble eyelet arrangement. The plate 84 has a lower bracket 88 and anupper bracket 90 extending outward therefrom. A hole 91 is formed in theupper bracket 90 to enable a pole end 93 to be extended downward throughthe hole 91 engaging the lower bracket 88 as shown in FIG. 1. The pole93 may be utilized for supporting a flag or umbrella.

Often it will be desirable to mount an umbrella on the pole 93 to shadethe rider from the intensive rays of the sun to enable the rider toutilize the recreation vehicle for an extended period of time withoutbecoming overly sunburned.

The recreation vehicle 10 is also a useful vehicle for scuba divers toprovide a platform for storing some of An alternate embodiment is shownin FIGS. 14-19. Such an embodiment utilizes strap assemblies 99 forsecuring the seat firmly to the tube 12 in the central opening at adesired elevation along the inner surface 17. Each strap assembly 99 hasa strap 100 with ends 101 and 102 that extend about a section of thetube. Means 104 are provided for interconnecting the ends 101 and 102 tocinch the strap firmly to the tube 12 and for gripping the seat 20 alongthe periphery to support the seat. 1

The means 104 has complementary interlocking or hook elements 106 and107 that are secured to the ends 101 and 102 respectively for grippingthe rim 26 of the seat to secure the seat to the tube and tointerconnect the ends 101 and 102 to cinch the strap firmly to the tube.The hook elements 106 and 107 have flat body sections 110 and 111respectively that are secured to the respective ends 101 and 102. Thebody sections 110 and 111 may be secured to the ends 101 and 102 byvarious means, including rivets 112 as shown in drawings.

In the configuration shown, the hook element 106 has a hook finger 114extending from the body section 110 in an arc of approximately 180 orslightly greater terminating in a finger end 116 forming a slot oropening 118 between the finger end 116 and the base of the finger 114 ofsufficient dimension to enable the rim 26 of the seat to pass throughthe opening 118 into the hook finger 114.

The hook element 107 has spaced hook fingers 120 and 121 that are spacedsufficiently to enable the hook finger 114 to be inserted therebetween.The hook fingers 120 and 121 extend from the body section 111 in similararcs of approximately 180 or slightly greater in an opposite directionto the arc of the finger 114 terminating in finger ends 122 and 123respectively. A slot or opening 125 is formed between the finger ends122 and 123 and the base of the fingers 120 and 121 of sufficientdimension to enable the rim 26 to pass therethrough into thP hookfingers 120 and 121.

To mount the seat 20 to the inner tube 12 utilizing thP strapassemblies, one sequentially wraps the strap 99 about angularly spacedtube sections corresponding to hole locations 27. The tube is preferablykept in the soft inflation condition during disassembly, however this isnot absolutely necessary. As shown in FIG. 14, hook element 106 extendsdownward and hook element 107 extends upward. The hook elements are thendeflected against the inner surface 17 to indent the tube as shown inFIG. 16 to match the openings 118 and 125 to enable the rim 26 to beinserted through the matched openings 118 and 125 and into the fingerhooks 114, 120 and 121 with the hook finger 114 extending in an areunder the rim 26 and the complementary hook fingers 120 and 12]extending in an are over the rim partly enclosing the rim. The hookelements 106 and 107 are then allowed to assume the interlockingpositions shown in FIG. 18 in which the finger 114 and the fingers 120and 121 rotate in opposite directions about the rim section to fullyenclose the rim section with the fingers 114, 120 and 121 extending intothe hole 27 to firmly secure the rim section to the strap. This formssomewhat of a hinge connection between the strap ends and the seat rimwith the rim section acting as a pin-like element. The tube is theninflated to the hard inflation condition as shown in FIG. 19 to provideequal tension on the strap ends and to cinch the strap firmly to thetube to prevent the strap from slipping. In the fully assembledcondition the complementary hook elements 106 and 107 serve asinterconnecting means for interconnecting the strap ends to cinch thestrap to the tube and as means for securing the seat to the tube at thedesired elevation in the central opening 13 along the inside surface 17.The number of hook fingers l 14, and 121 is not particularly importantas long as the hook fingers mesh together as described. The commondenominator is illustrated for simplicity of description.

It should be understood that the above described embodiment is simplyillustrative of the principles of this 7 invention and that numerousother embodiments may be readily devised without deviating therefrom.Therefore, only the following claims are intended to define thisinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. An inner tube-type recreation vehicle for supporting a personthereon, comprising:

an inflatable torus-shaped tube having a central opening therethrough;

a disc-shaped seat constructed of semi-rigid material for positioning inandsubstantially enclosing the central aperture for support of at leasta portion of the person thereon;

said seat having a periphery of sufficient diameter to prevent thesupported person from projecting one or more of his limbs through thecentral opening and a plurality of angularly spaced holes formedtherethrough adjacent the periphery; and

a plurality of strap assemblies having straps adapted to be looped aboutspaced sections of the tube, and each strap having ends withcomplementary hook means affixed to the strap ends and adapted tooppositely extend about a section of the seat periphery and into arespective seat hole with the hook means meshing with each other toenclose the section of the seat periphery and secure the seat to theinner tube at the desired elevation.

2. The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the hookmeans includes at least one hook finger that extends through the seathole and about the seat periphery section.

3. The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one ofthe hook means has at least two hook fingers that are spaced apart adistance sufficient to receive a hook finger of the other hook meanstherebetween to form an interlock to enclose the seat periphery sectiontherein.

4. The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein the seat has arim at the periphery with the holes located immediately adjacent the rimand wherein the hook means includes hook fingers that ex tend throughthe seat holes and about the rim toenclose the rim in which one hookfinger'of one ho'ok means extends between two hook fingers of thecomplementary hook means to secure the seat to the tube.

5. A recreation vehicle supportable by an inflatable torus-shaped tubehaving a central opening therethrough, comprising:

a disc-shaped seat constructed of semi-rigid material for positioning inand substantially enclosing the central aperture to support at least aportion of a person thereon, said seat having a periphery of sufficientdiameter to prevent the supported person from projecting one or more ofhis limbs through tube.

6. The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein the hook meansincludes hook fingers that extend through the seat holes and about therim in which one hook finger at one end of the strap extends between twospace fingers at the other end of the strap with the hook fingers'at onestrap end extending in a curved arc in the opposite direction to thehook fingers at the other strap end to grip the rim in the hook fingersto enclose the rim.

1. An inner tube-type recreation vehicle for supporting a personthereon, comprising: an inflatable torus-shaped tube having a centralopening therethrough; a disc-shaped seat constructed of semi-rigidmaterial for positioning in and substantially enclosing the centralaperture for support of at least a portion of the person thereon; saidseat having a periphery of sufficient diameter to prevent the supportedperson from projecting one or more of his limbs through the centralopening and a plurality of angularly spaced holes formed therethroughadjacent the periphery; and a plurality of strap assemblies havingstraps adapted to be looped about spaced sections of the tube, and eachstrap having ends with complementary hook means affixed to the strapends and adapted to oppositely extend about a section of the seatperiphery and into a respective seat hole with the hook means meshingwith each other to enclose the section of the seat periphery and securethe seat to the inner tube at the desired elevation.
 2. The recreationvehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the hook means includes atleast one hook finger that extends through the seat hole and about theseat periphery section.
 3. The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 1wherein at least one of the hook means has at least two hook fingersthat are spaced apart a distance sufficient to receive a hook finger ofthe other hook means therebetween to form an interlock to enclose theseat periphery section therein.
 4. The recreation vehicle as defined inclaim 1 wherein the seat has a rim at the periphery with the holeslocated immediately adjacent the rim and wherein the hook means includeshook fingers that extend through the seat holes and about the rim toenclose the rim in which one hook finger of one hook means extendsbetween two hook fingers of the complementary hook means to secure theseat to the tube.
 5. A recreation vehicle supportable by an inflatabletorus-shaped tube having a central opening therethrough, comprising: adisc-shaped seat constructed of semi-rigid material for positioning inand substantially enclosing the centRal aperture to support at least aportion of a person thereon, said seat having a periphery of sufficientdiameter to prevent the supported person from projecting one or more ofhis limbs through the central opening, said seat having a plurality ofangularly spaced holes formed therethrough adjacent a rim at theperiphery; a plurality of strap assemblies having straps adapted to belooped about spaced sections of the tube and each strap having ends withcomplementary hook means affixed to the strap ends and adapted tooppositely extend through a respective hole and oppositely about the rimto grip the rim and secure the seat to a spaced section of the innertube at a desired elevation within the central opening of the tube. 6.The recreation vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein the hook meansincludes hook fingers that extend through the seat holes and about therim in which one hook finger at one end of the strap extends between twospace fingers at the other end of the strap with the hook fingers at onestrap end extending in a curved arc in the opposite direction to thehook fingers at the other strap end to grip the rim in the hook fingersto enclose the rim.